God with us

“The Lord will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” — Isaiah 7:14

In my reading through the Bible in 2007, I saved the reading of Isaiah and the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John for December.

This is the season for signs and wonders, for stars and angels, for music and poetry and singing. The mystery of the incarnation is the center of our celebration of Advent and Christmas.

God comes to us in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, God-With-Us.

The Christmas story is proclaimed in prose and in poetry. The One Who Comes as a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and laid in a manger grows to be an adult who emerges from baptismal water to heal and cast out demons, to eat with sinners and welcome outsiders, to tell simple stories of truth and offer God’s wisdom, to face denial and death with deep faith, to live again after being crucified, to ascend and reign over all things.

Jesus comes in this holy season, God-With-Us, Emmanuel.

“Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free,“From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.“Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art,“Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart” — Charles Wesley

The Mississippi Annual Conference—empowered by love, generosity, justice and apprenticeship—forms spiritual leaders, faith communities and connections so more disciples of Jesus Christ transform the world.